RCAT — commercial certification vs residential certification

The residential and commercial RCAT certifications are structurally similar but not interchangeable. Both require at least 2 continuous years as a principal in a Texas-domiciled roofing company with a fixed physical address, workers compensation coverage (or DWC Form-005 filing), passing a business/safety exam, 70% minimum score on each exam taken, one-year renewal cycles, and 8 hours of continuing education annually. The differences: residential certification requires $300,000 combined single limit general liability insurance (or a $100,000 surety/property bond or letter of credit) plus passing the residential roofing exam; commercial certification requires $500,000 combined single limit general liability insurance plus passing the commercial roofing exam. A contractor can hold one, the other, or both. For a homeowner with a residential project, the residential certification is the relevant credential — a contractor holding only commercial certification has met comparable standards but for a different domain. Certification and renewal fees apply equally across both tracks. As with any voluntary credential, certification is evidence of business maturity and domain familiarity, not a guarantee of workmanship on any single project. [Source: Roofing Contractors Association of Texas]